Cuckoo is a bird of the Cuculidae family. They are not listed as endangered, but their number in certain areas declined as a result of habitat loss, decrease in number of birds which act as foster parents to young cuckoos and because of the climate changes (which affect their migratory patterns and availability of food).
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1. Though there are 54 species of Old World cuckoos, just two live in Europe: most live in Africa, Asia and Australasia.
2. The name cuckoo is onomatopoeic, which means that it is taken from the birds call (like, for example, curlew and hoopoe).
3. Cuckoos are birds of the medium size. They can reach 12.6 to 14.1 inches in length and weight up to 2.1 ounces.
5. Cuckoo travels to Africa each September to avoid cold periods and lack of food during the winter in temperate areas of Europe and Asia.
6. Cuckoo feeds on insects and its favorite food is hairy caterpillar.
7. Although cuckoo spends almost nine months in Africa, it never sings while there.
8. The cuckoo is one of the most widespread breeding birds in Europe, and is only absent from Iceland. It also breeds throughout Asia east to Japan.
9. Only the male cuckoo calls cuckoo, and as the spring progresses the double-note tends to change: In June I change my tune.
10. Cuckoo spit has nothing to do with cuckoos, but is produced by insects as a protection from predators.